Let’s debunk a myth today: managing up isn’t about sucking up. In our second installment of “In Your Corner,” our career coaching segment, Sharon and I dive deep into what it really means to “manage up” and why it’s a critical skill for communicators. Managing up effectively is about making your indispensability known—creating a symbiotic relations…

It has been five years since Google Plus closed down. While it never amassed the number of users of some of its rivals, many called it home and were cast adrift after its demise, unable to find an alternative that offered the same features and vibe. One Google Plus user lamented the loss and reflected on the lessons learned from her attempts to fin…

While public corporations employ (or contract with agencies that provide) media relations professionals, government agencies are likelier to have Public Information Officers (PIOs). Agencies, however, are not the only entities with PIOs, who differ from media relations practitioners by virtue of their engagement with multiple external stakeholder a…

In a LinkedIn post, Techcrunch Sr. Enterprise Editor Frederic Lardinois lamented the ineffectiveness of an event-related press release he received. To date, 42 comments have agreed, many condemning the utter uselessness of press releases and the incompetence of those who produce them. Neville and Shel understand their frustration based on the poor …

Google is ending third-party tracking cookies on Chrome, the last of the major browsers to take this privacy-enhancing action. Without these cookies, advertisers could see as much as a 70-percent decline in revenue from online ads. What are the alternatives? Neville and Shel break it all down in this short midweek episode. Links from this episode: …

Chip and Gini discuss the intricacies of fractional leadership roles within clients. They share their experiences and provide advice on managing relationships, setting clear boundaries, handling administrative tasks, and positioning yourself accurately in these roles. [read the transcript] The post ALP 226: Should your agency sell itself as a fract…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant strides in various domains, and voice technology is no exception. OpenAI, a prominent player in the AI industry, has recently announced Voice Engine, a groundbreaking development in AI text-to-voice technology that will create natural-sounding voices based on a 15-second clip of your (or anybody’s)…

“Thought leadership” is a term that gets bandied about a lot. (A Google search for the term produced over 100 million results.) You have to question whether everything labeled thought leadership actually is, suggesting the quality of thought leadership leaves something to be desired. In fact, a recent study from Edelman and LinkedIn finds doubts ab…

AI-powered tools like Perplexity are replacing Google as the go-to search resource for a growing number of people. Even AI tools that are not focused on searching the web, like Microsoft’s Copilot and Claude’s pro version, provide links to resources in their results. Is it enough to dethrone Google, which has held sway over search for decades? Some…

Author of Start with the Story: Brand-Building in a Narrative Economy, Kristian Alomá knows the value of brand storytelling for agencies and businesses. In this episode, Kristian shares insights about his agency, Threadline, and the art of crafting a narrative that is relevant, meaningful, and inspiring to the audience. He and Chip cover the evolut…

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the potential pitfalls of receiving equity as payment for service. Continue Reading → The post ALP 225: Accepting equity as payment for agency services appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

We have expectations from our use of social media, but in two recent studies, there is evidence that the outcomes we expect aren't necessarily what we get. Also in this episode, we look at Gini Dietrich's latest update to her PESO model for using various media channels in integrated communication efforts, the schoolkids who are bringing back print …

Maintain a flexible approach to professional growth by joining IABC Fellows as they explore key topics essential for communication professionals at any career stage. Delve into important areas like the IABC Global Standard, Career Self-Assessment, and the IABC Proficiency Matrix. Learn from experts about negotiating salary, bonuses, and job titles …

Companies whose boards include a member with marketing experience deliver higher investor returns than those whose boards lack marketing expertise. That higher return increases among companies losing market share. Does Artificial Intelligence (AI) threaten the path to board membership by dramatically reducing the number of marketers? OpenAI CEO Sam…

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the fear of hiring employees, the implications of using contractors, the financial considerations, and the benefits of having employees. Continue Reading → The post ALP 224: Get over your fear of hiring employees appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

A new type of influencer, known as "Jinfluencers," is emerging in the media landscape. These influencers, who combine the roles of journalists and influencers, are gaining attention and challenging traditional media outlets. The media landscape has become fragmented, catering to niche interests and creating opportunities for trusted sources with lo…

In this episode, Chip and Nick discuss digital agency salaries and the findings of a recent research report on the topic. Continue Reading → The post CWC 97: Agency salary and compensation trends in 2024 (featuring Nicholas Petroski) appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Unsavory and nefarious things happen on the Dark Web. But the Dark Web and Dark Social Media are not exclusively a place for ne'er-do-wells, criminals, and extremists. Dark Social includes messaging apps, private discussion groups on popular public forums, and even email. An increasing share of conversations about brands is taking place on the Dark…

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the challenges and frustrations of owning an agency, emphasizing the importance of seeking accountability and support, and reflecting on one’s own role in addressing issues. Continue Reading → The post ALP 223: Handling frustration as an agency owner appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.…

Match Group wanted the world to know it had secured 1,000 business licenses from OpenAI. In a press release, the company claimed that giving employees access to the full suite of ChatGPT tools has not only improved productivity but also altered the culture. The company disclosed in the press release that it was written by ChatGPT and edited by the …

Google searches link to Wikipedia more than any other website. It is the largest and most-read reference work in history. It is consistently ranked as one of the 10 most popular websites in the world, and as of 2024 is the fifth most visited website on the net. Wikipedia is also one of the richest sources of information for AI training models. With…

Based on the plunge in the value of NFTs last year and the evaporation of business on NFT exchanges, it would be easy to think these tokens were just a passing fad, like Pet Rocks and Beanie Babies, especially given the resounding death knell produced by media. But NFTs never left, with companies like Starbucks and Nike continuing to invest in them…

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the importance of setting clear expectations from the start and being proactive in following up on overdue invoices. Continue Reading → The post ALP 222: How to handle extended payment term requests from agency clients appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

The list of CXO titles is proliferating. The addition of chief culture officers, chief AI officers, chief data officers, chief wellness officers, chief diversity officers, chief learning officers, chief experience officers...the list goes on...has increased the size of C-suites across industries. There is strong evidence that larger executive teams…

GenZers are recording their firings and layoffs, and the videos are going viral on TikTok and elsewhere. This is shining a harsh spotlight on organizations' approach to letting people go, and it's not pretty. What's worse is how some companies plot to avoid being subjects of these videos. Also, in this episode: Bluesky has taken its first big steps…

A long list of A-list companies from across the spectrum of industries have embraced Artificial Intelligence in a way that is raising eyebrows: monitoring employee emails and posts to messaging and collaboration services like Slack and Microsoft Teams. Privacy experts are raising red flags over the trend. When CNBC reached out to these companies ab…

Let's face it: The world of internal communications is anything but boring. If you're anything like us, the thrill of navigating through ever-changing landscapes -- like hybrid work, AI and channel management, to name a few -- is what gets you up in the morning. That's why we're diving into the big picture of what's shaking up our field and the coo…

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss how to get your agency's time under control and offer advice on managing business development and project management to avoid the unnecessary and focus on real value creation. Continue Reading → The post ALP 221: Avoiding time-wasting in your agency appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.…

In the 100th episode of “Circle of Fellows,” Brad Whitworth and Shel Holtz presented short video and narrative contributions from many Fellows of the International Association of Business Communicators, each of whom will present their best advice, most meaningful insight, useful observation, significant memory, or whatever they felt like sharing. T…

In a LinkedIn post, internal communications thought leader Monique Zytnik wonders if there is not enough specificity in the "AI" label. "It's like trying to have a conversation about different animals and only being able to use the word animal. One person is talking about lions and tigers 🦁and the other about cute chicks 🐣 but you're only using the…

In this episode, Chip and Gini discuss the recent wave of layoffs in the media industry and its implications for PR agencies. Continue Reading → The post ALP 220: What recent media layoffs mean for PR agencies appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Artificial Intelligence is revolutionizing all manner of things. It should be no surprise, then, that it is bound to revolutionize online searching, which has been dominated by Google. A new search engine, Perplexity, threatens Google's dominance by delivering answers in narrative form with links to the resources from which the narrative was derive…

People are spending less time on the big open public social networks, opting instead for closed communities, hidden away from public scrutiny. In this short midweek episode, Neville and Shel examine the phenomenon and share their thoughts on the challenges this presents to organizations trying to reach their stakeholders through social media. Conti…

In this episode, Chip and Gini share their perspectives about 2023 — along with things that positioned some agencies for success in what many experienced as a down year. Continue Reading → The post ALP 219: Did your agency have a rough 2023? appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

Back in 2012, business executives thought the most important traits to exhibit when interacting with stakeholders included things like forcefulness, a blue-chip pedigree, and physical attractiveness. No more. A repeat of the study 10 years later found that inclusiveness, a "listen to learn" orientation, and authenticity are among the new traits for…

Elon Musk's company, Neuralink, claims it has successfully implanted a device in the brain of a human subject who is recovering well. These devices are designed to enable severely disabled individuals to manipulate computers with their minds, moving cursors, typing, clicking, and so on. It's the stuff of science fiction, but, like AI, it seems dest…

When Gini shared in a recent episode that her success has come from doing the same thing for 15 years, a listener pointed out that she has continued to evolve. Continue Reading → The post ALP 218: Agencies succeed through consistency and evolution appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.

It happens every year, as surely as the Tiffany ball will drop in Times Square on New Year's Eve: Edelman has released its annual Trust Barometer with a focus on the public's views on innovation and the pace of change, along with the usual dimensions of trust the survey tracks every year. Neville and Shel examine some of the study's core findings a…

When the word came down from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that investment companies could offer Bitcoin ETFs, Vanguard shrugged off the opportunity -- but didn't make an effort to let its investors know, leading to high volumes of online criticism and some investors closing their accounts. Neville and Shel dig into the communication …

It's hard to believe, but this is the 100th "Circle of Fellows." To celebrate, we opted to try something new. (Don't worry, we'll return to our panel discussion format in March.) We asked our Fellows to contribute their best insights and/or advice in a short video or as text. We got more than we could fit in a single episode! The first batch are in…

When blogs first got hot, every December, it was the rare PR agency and independent communicator that didn't feel compelled to post their predictions and assessments of trends for the new year. That practice has not slowed down. Rather than try to find and read through them all, just sit back and listen to this short mid-week episode of "For Immedi…

In this episode, Chip and Gini talk about the need for agencies to find a sustainable focus and be cautious of riding the wave of the latest type of "hot" agency — including digital, social media, cannabis, crypto, and many others that have come and gone. Continue Reading → The post ALP 217: Are digital agencies dead? appeared first on FIR Podcast …

Deepfakes! Volumes of disinformation generated at scale! Hallucinated information shared as fact! Inherent bias underlying official communication! The number of crises people can imagine AI creating continues to grow. But do AI's abilities to aid in crisis communication outweigh these risks -- especially if we find ways to minimize or eliminate the…

“Let’s be careful out there.” The line made famous by Hill Street Blues’ Sgt. Phil Esterhaus holds up 40 years later – just ask crisis expert Andy Gilman. In addition to his formal title – President and CEO of CommCore Consulting Group – Andy is the standard-bearer for communicators tasked with navigating sensitive issues. In his fifth appearance o…

It's not uncommon to hear agency owners talk about wanting to target small businesses because there are so many of them and you can talk with the decision-maker more easily. Continue Reading → The post ALP 216: Beware easy-to-sell but hard-to-serve clients for your agency appeared first on FIR Podcast Network.…

While this is officially episode #377 of "For Immediate Release," the fact is that we reset the episode numbers back in 2015 when we retired the show name, "The Hobson and Holtz Report," at episode #824. Add them together, and this is actually our 1,201st episode. It also marks the beginning of our 20th year of podcasting. We released our first epi…

"We are about to see the biggest reshuffling of power on the internet in 25 years," writes Anil Dash, "in a way that most of the internet’s current users have never seen before." That power, Dash believes is a shift from big companies like Meta and Google back to individual users. Among the trends that have Dash believing this pivot is imminent are…

Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, we let ChatGPT speak for itself about how it can enhance communicators’ work — and whether communicators are at risk of being replaced by AI. Shel is solo …

Volumes have been written in the last year about how to apply ChatGPT and other generative AI tools to the practice of public relations and organizational communication. In this midweek episode, we let ChatGPT speak for itself about how it can enhance communicators' work -- and whether communicators are at risk of being replaced by AI. Shel is solo…

German publisher Alex Springer -- which owns Politico, among other media properties -- has inked a deal with OpenAI, which means ChatGPT will be able to include news in its responses to prompts. Debate over the pros and cons is robust, and there are implications for organizations trying to get their news into the mix. In the December long-form epis…